Judge dismisses drug charge against actress Ryder (Hold Mah Darvons!)

SFGate.com ^ | 10/16/02 | Christina Almeida - AP

[NormsRevenge]

A judge dismissed a drug charge Wednesday against actress Winona Ryder and scheduled an Oct. 24 trial on three remaining felony counts stemming from her alleged shoplifting of $6,000 worth of merchandise.

Superior Court Judge Elden Fox ruled in favor of a prosecution motion to dismiss the charge that Ryder illegally possessed painkillers when she was arrested last Dec. 12 outside a Saks Fifth Avenue store in Beverly Hills.

[NormsRevenge]

DUMP DAVI$


GO SIMON

***

Tom McClintock for CA State Controller



***

Dick Ackerman for CA Attorney General

[RAT Patrol]

"The responsibility for providing the drug would be the doctor's," said Sandi Gibbons, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. "Therefore, the criminal responsibility is not (Ryder's)." It is my personal opinion that there has been a mega-scandal just waiting to be discovered on this subject for decades. That is: Doctors prescribing (or not, as in this case) painkillers to women who are addicted to them.

[Cicero]

She had a prescription for Percocet, but had in her possession two tablets of the generic equivalent. This certainly was not a crime.

The general opinion is that the LA DA's office considers this a high-profile case with which gives them the oppportunity to make up their failure to convict O.J. I think that is a sad misjudgment. At best they can only succeed in making fools of themselves. Five DA assistants working full time on a minor shoplifting incident, which they have consistently misrepresented in statements to the press?

[tacticalogic]

The infomation I've seen - mostly from government sources - says that the most abused drug in America is hydrocodone, and an estimated 17% of all Americans over the age of 60 abuse alcohol in combination with prescription drugs.

[lelio]

Ryder will stand trial on the remaining charges of felony grand theft, burglary and vandalism.
While I'm all for prosecuting shoplifters, is that really a crime worthy of a felony charge? She won't be able to pack heat on her next attempt.

[I_Love_My_Husband]

I think when someone steals $6,000 worth of merchandise it's not really shoplifting anymore but robbery.

[Drop the Vernacular]

No, not robbery no matter how valuable. Robbery involves use of force, threat, or intimidation.

[motexva]

It was appropriate to drop these trumped up charges, but she needs to be prosecuted for the shoplifting. Throw the book at her.

[daviddennis]

The store, hower, asked the DA not to prosecute.

From what I remember, the only reason prosecution continued was due to the drug charge, which lifted this to the felony status.

I think the store's feelings should control, and the whole thing should be thrown out.

D